Dodge City commissioners give up salaries to help with budget shortfall

The city commissioners in Dodge City say they are facing an estimated loss of nearly $3 million from the 2020 budget because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The city says they expect a shortfall in sales tax, property tax, interest, transient guest tax and franchise fees. The commissioners say substantial cuts will be needed to make up for the lost revenue.
During their meeting Monday night, the commissioners said the first priority should be eliminating their salaries for 2020.
“We didn’t get in this for the pay,” said Commissioner Kent Smoll. “We got into this because we really appreciate the City. There’s not going to be much savings, I understand. But it’s partly the principle. We are asking employees to give things up; I want to give up that.”
(Read more: KSN-TV)

Ranson Financial2020-04-27T09:30:00-05:00April 27, 2020|News|

’Perfect positive storm’: Studies show Topeka well-positioned to recover from recession

Topeka’s metropolitan area is among the least vulnerable in the nation to the economic damage wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to two recent studies.
Meanwhile, the WalletHub personal finance website says Kansas is likely to suffer less economically from the pandemic than all other states but one.
Those findings reinforce Matt Pivarnik’s optimism that Topeka will quickly regain the momentum it had gained prior to COVID-19, he said in a telephone interview Friday.
“Quite frankly, I look forward to recovery,” said Pivarnik, president and CEO of the Greater Topeka Partnership. “I think that Topeka’s going to be able to have a resilient recovery, and potentially even leapfrog other communities as we return to our new normal.”
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)

Ranson Financial2020-04-27T09:30:24-05:00April 27, 2020|News|

Cruising Main will return

For Scott Becker of McPherson, climbing into his Ford Mustang and cruising down main street on a Saturday night brings back days gone by.
“I used to drag main here in the ’80s and ’90s. My boys are 17 and 20 and over the summer hang out at Lakeside park. They never knew what cruising main was. I believe it’s a generation gap and was lost throughout the years,” Becker said.
And, he believed it was a tradition that should be rekindled. A year ago, he started posting to Facebook, creating a page for photos that he called “Old Farts Drag Main.”
(Read more: News – Butler County Times Gazette)

Ranson Financial2020-04-27T09:30:33-05:00April 27, 2020|News|

Hays: No plans for layoffs, cutting services

Despite the COVID-19 hit to the economy, there are no plans to lay off City of Hays employees or to cut city services to the community, according to City Manager Toby Dougherty.
“We’re not there yet, and it’s really not something I’ve considered right now,” Dougherty said of employee layoffs or furloughs. “It would be a rationary measure that comes later on. I can’t see enough of a revenue decline that we couldn’t absorb and move forward … worse-case scenario we’d have to put a hiring freeze in place.”
Speaking to the Hays City Commission at its regular meeting Thursday in City Hall, 1507 Main, Dougherty said it’s possible the city might not fill positions that come open when people retire or quit to downsize by turnover.
(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)

Ranson Financial2020-04-27T09:30:52-05:00April 27, 2020|News|

DRC, DAC looking to spread positivity through art

At the moment, with the Derby Recreation Center shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of DRC Art Director Aimee Geist’s focus has been on preparations for summer programs at the new Hubbard Arts Center.
While not many DRC art programs have gone virtual yet, Geist has been working on a new project with the Derby Arts Council – to launch in May – that is seeking to engage the community and spread an important message.
“One of the things we’ve been working on is a sidewalk chalk project called the Positivity Art Project,” Geist said
(Read more: Derby News | derbyinformer.com)

Ranson Financial2020-04-27T09:31:08-05:00April 27, 2020|News|

Scenic byways lets you see Kansas’ best landscape from the safety of your car

Kathy Artzer knows people can abide by social distancing requirements while still feeding their need for adventure. Annually she leaves her Topeka home and drives several of Kansas’ scenic byways.
“(The byways) have taken me to some places I didn’t even know we had in Kansas,” Artzer said. “They’ve taken me to some really beautiful places. I think they’re a great way to explore the state.”
Sue Stringer, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism byways manager, said Kansas has 12 recognized byways.
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)

Ranson Financial2020-04-27T09:31:24-05:00April 27, 2020|News|

Financial challenges ahead for Pratt Community College

Financial challenges lie ahead for all educational institutions including Pratt Community College. Kent Adams, PCC vice president of finance and operations, shared some numbers with the PCC Trustees at their April 13 meeting.
“We’re going to have financial challenges,” Adams said.
College finances are already in place through June 30 but beyond that, there are many questions.
First of all, the county is going to lose $3 million in valuation for oil and gas. Other valuations went up but the overall loss is $3 million.
(Read more: Pratt, KS – Pratt Tribune)

Ranson Financial2020-04-27T09:31:35-05:00April 27, 2020|News|

Crawford County makes plans for input on new coronavirus rules

Though it remains unclear whether the statewide stay-at-home order will expire by the end of next week, Crawford County officials continue to make plans for what kind of policy the county will implement if it does. Since announcing it would hear input from area businesses and the public on that decision earlier in the week, the county commission on Friday made changes to the schedule of when that input session will take place, and said it will be done via radio on Pittsburg State University-affiliated KRPS (89.9 FM) next Thursday, with the opportunity for businesses to submit questions beforehand. “We had talked about next Wednesday doing some sort of a call with the businesses in the county but it’s been pushed to Thursday, which will give us a little more time if the governor puts something out,” County Health Officer Rebecca Adamson said Friday. “We still don’t know how long that might take.”
(Read more: State News – Morning Sun)

Ranson Financial2020-04-27T09:32:08-05:00April 27, 2020|News|

Reno County Economic Recovery Task Force begins discussion on reopening

The Reno County Economic Recovery Task Force on Friday (April 24) outlined goals detailed efforts underway toward reopening the local economy.
The statewide stay-at-home order currently is in effect until May 3. While that could extend, the task force in Reno County shares a goal to “establish guidelines for reopening our local economy with the aim to have a skeleton framework to present to the county commission on the event that the statewide stay-at-home order is lifted.”
The task force says it expects to roll out some “wins” on May 4 (following the current May 3 expiration date on the statewide stay-at-home order. What these “wins” might include isn’t yet clear, but the task force says “there is great hope that we can begin to at least (do) a few things on May 4 that we can’t do now. The goal is to formulate that this next week.”
(Read more: KWCH News)

Ranson Financial2020-04-27T09:32:20-05:00April 27, 2020|News|

Cluster testing continues in Ford County

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced this week two private businesses in Dodge City that showed a cluster of COVID-19 cases.
As described by KDHE, a cluster “is two or more confirmed cases associated to one known exposure.”
With cluster testing rising, confirmed cases come with it as Ford County cases reached 350 on Friday, topping Sedgwick County’s 323 and putting Ford County third highest in the state behind Wyandotte and Johnson County.
Seward County also reached a case of total of 232 with Finney County reaching 107.
(Read more: News – Dodge City Daily Globe – Dodge City, KS)

Ranson Financial2020-04-27T09:32:28-05:00April 27, 2020|News|